On the Inside
by Airhead259
Summary: "It doesn't matter what they look like!" Slight AU. On the streets, Sakura finds unlikely comfort in a certain little wolf. Oneshot for now, may be extended into a twoshot.


_Ok, to be honest, I haven't watched a SINGLE episode of CCS, aside from a couple of clips. But lately, thanks to Tsubasa Chronicle, I got into the Syaoran and Sakura pairing. Due to the lack of fics in the Tsubasa section, I looked here. And although their personalities are a little different, I took to reading the stories anyway. Now, I think I've read enough fics to know the main characters inside-out xD_

_Anyway, I was inspired to write this when I remembered a comic I'd read a long time ago. I'm not sure where, but it really touched me and I wanted to write something similar. I hope you enjoy it (:_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura or its characters._

* * *

On the Inside

It was a cold winter day in December. Snow descended upon the city and the streets were filled with people headed home from work, eager to spend time with their families. Many shops remained open, their windows displaying large signs reminding passers-by that the holidays were approaching. Streetlamps lined the roads, shining brightly through a thin layer of mist. And under one such lamp stood a young girl.

She was no older than five years, her short, brown hair ruffled by the wind. She stood there clutching a small bouquet, her green eyes watching people walk by. Occasionally she would walk up to one and ask them if they wanted a flower, but they would either refuse or ignore her and walk past. Dejected, she decided to try somewhere else.

The girl walked along the pavement silently, staring at her feet the whole time. She was so lost in thought that she accidentally bumped into someone, nearly causing her to lose her balance. She gasped and looked up to see a boy her age staring at her. She apologised profusely before looking down at her bouquet.

"They're crushed…" she muttered sadly, as she looked at the flowers. They had been her only hope, but she hadn't sold a single one. And now…

"Are…are those snow lilies?"

Her eyes widened as they met the boy's gaze again. She had almost forgotten that he was still there. He was watching her, a calm, yet stern expression on his face. She nodded slowly and took a moment to observe him more carefully.

His dark brown hair was messy and windswept, covering his eyes, which were deep amber. He wore jeans and a sweater with a wolf on it. He was wearing sneakers and she compared them to the tattered and worn sandals on her own feet.

"Aren't you cold?" he asked her, sounding concerned. She realised that he was right – she wasn't even wearing a scarf and her fingers had gone numb from the biting cold.

"A…little…" she murmured in response. He watched her for a few more moments before he suddenly turned around and walked away.

She watched him go and leaned back against a nearby lamp post, letting herself slide to the ground. Tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at the flowers in her hands, which looked like they were beginning to wilt. She buried her face in her arms, wanting nothing more than to disappear.

Just then, she felt a shadow hovering over her. She looked up to see the same boy from earlier, his straightforward gaze penetrating hers. Behind him stood a woman, whom she assumed was his mother.

"Hana-chan…" he whispered. The girl's cheeks turned pink and she stood up slowly. She wiped her eyes with one hand. The woman stepped forward and bent down to her level, looking at the flowers in her hand.

"Snow lilies! Just as you said, my son. They remind me so much of your father…" She paused. "Although they do look a little limp…"

"It doesn't matter what they look like!"

The boy was breathing heavily, his outburst having startled the girl in front of him. She was watching him with wide eyes, wondering why he had interrupted his mother.

"They may look wilted from the outside…but they're still the same flowers on the inside! They're still just as beautiful," he said, looking into the girl's eyes. She blushed and looked down, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. _'He's defending me…and he doesn't even know me!'_

"Alright son," replied the woman. "Little girl, how much for one of those flowers?"

"U-Um…100 Yen…" she stammered, unable to meet her gaze. The woman rummaged through her purse, looking for money.

"Ah, I'm afraid I don't have any change…here, give this to the girl for me," she said quickly, handing a note to the boy. "Your sisters are waiting so I'll go back – make sure you get the change." With that, she walked away, leaving the two children with each other.

"Uh…" the boy began awkwardly. "Do you have change for a thousand?" he asked.

She gasped and shook her head. "You must be very rich," she said to him. He simply shrugged.

"How much for all of them?"

She looked down at the bouquet. "Um…a thousand is still too much…"

He tilted his head. "Why do you do this?" he questioned, motioning towards the flowers. She sighed, looking down at her feet.

"My mother…she hasn't been well for a while now. She needs money to pay for treatment and if I don't earn the money, she won't be home for Christmas…" Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes once again and her small hands clutched the bouquet more tightly.

"What about your father? Doesn't he work?"

"He tried…when he was…around…" she replied softly and he understood. After a moment's silence, he stepped forward and placed a hand over hers, which were clasped around the lily stems. She looked up at him, confused.

"Give them to me," he said simply. She nodded, hesitantly and he took them from her hands. Then, he quickly pressed the note into her hands and walked away.

She gasped. "Wait!" she called after him. "This is still too much! What about your mother-"

"-I'll explain it to her!" he yelled back. "Tell your mother to get well soon!" Then, he turned around and jogged off, leaving her beneath the lamp post, holding a 1000 Yen note in her frostbitten hands. She looked down and smiled to herself.

'_Arigatou…Ookami-san…"_

* * *

_For those who don't know, Hana means flower and Ookami means wolf in Japanese (:_

_I plan to make this into a two-shot, but only if it's good. Please review and tell me what you think!_


End file.
